School Board Urged To Include More High School Staff In Budget

January 20, 1995|By BILL LEUKHARDT; Courant Staff Writer

SOUTHINGTON — The slicing and dicing continued Thursday for a second night as the board of education reviewed a proposed $44 million budget, a plan some taxpayers said should include more staff and fewer computers.

The session was the second of three the board will have as it adjusts Superintendent Louis Saloom's $44,073,308 proposal.

The plan, which includes $300,000 the board put in to buy computers for second-grade classes in the town's elementary schools, reflects a 4.4 increase. It would require about 1 mill of additional taxes.

The half-dozen people who spoke before the board's budget workshop were more concerned about staffing than the bottom line. Most asked for additional staff at the high school, which they said is strained by the long-planned folding of ninth grade into the school.

Speakers asked the board to add a third assistant principal and more guidance counselors and social workers to the 1,948-student school.

``There are serious problems at the high school that need to be addressed. There are unrealistic caseloads for guidance and school psychologists,'' said Theresa O'Connor, president of the parent-teacher council. ``We ask you to look at that and not move ahead with the $300,000 for computers.''

Mary Milliard, of the Parent's Circle advocacy group for special education, agreed, saying the high school has only one psychologist and one social worker, and 255 students for each guidance counselor.

It's impossible to predict what the amended budget will be. School board members are still poking, paring and reviewing the $44 million proposal.

``We will have one more budget workshop next Tuesday,'' board Chairman Richard Montague told members as they sat down and took out their pencils. ``We may be ready to vote on it at next Thursday's meeting.''

Whatever the board does is just the first pass. Before the school plan becomes final in May, it will also get a going-over by the town council and board of finance.